AI Skills in Finance Overtake MBAs in Hiring Value, PwC Finds

AI skills in finance are becoming more valuable than traditional business qualifications, with 86% of US finance executives saying AI training is more useful than an MBA for many new employees, according to PwC.

The survey of more than 1,000 executives found that 91% of companies were increasing compensation for workers with artificial intelligence capabilities.

Employers are particularly seeking professionals able to build, deploy and manage AI agents across financial operations.

Growing demand is prompting leading business schools, including Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to expand shorter executive programmes focused on artificial intelligence.

The shift comes as prospective students question the value of MBA programmes that can cost almost USD300,000.

Companies including IBM, Shopify and Cloudflare are also increasing entry-level recruitment, suggesting that practical technology skills and shorter specialist qualifications are becoming more important in early-career hiring.